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Tag: 2014

  • Ann McKechin – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Ann McKechin – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ann McKechin on 2015-01-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, pursuant to the Answer of 7 January 2015 to Question 219632, whether his Department received any direct or indirect information from people or organisations other than City Link or the administrators (a) orally or (b) in writing before 23 December 2014 that there was a possibility of City Link being placed into administration.

    Matthew Hancock

    The Insolvency Service first received information that a national logistics firm was at risk via email on 9 December and passed this to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) on 10 December. Requests for the company name were rejected as the information was commercially sensitive. On the basis of the available information, officials worked with the Department for Work and Pensions and Jobcentre Plus to be ready to provide support should a failure actually materialise.

    It is not uncommon for BIS to receive commercially sensitive information about companies or facilities at risk in strict confidence, though not all of these result in a company or site closure or significant job losses. BIS treats any such information with the utmost discretion in order to avoid precipitating a failure, which we would all wish to avoid.

  • William McCrea – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    William McCrea – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by William McCrea on 2015-01-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will bring forward proposals to curb excessive pay increases for senior executives; and if he will make a statement.

    Jo Swinson

    The Government has taken decisive action to restore the link between top pay and performance.

    In October 2013 new laws comprehensively reforming the governance of company directors’ pay came into force, boosting transparency so that shareholders have adequate information, and giving them the power to hold companies to account.

    We are also seeing good signs of improved engagement between investors and companies: with a clear impact on directors’ pay awards. The latest evidence shows that median total remuneration awarded to FTSE100 CEOs fell by 5% in 2012 and by a further 7% in 2013. At the same time 35% of CEOs and 30% of executive directors in FTSE100 companies did not receive a salary increase in 2013.

    The Government is monitoring the impact of the reforms and will consider further measures if necessary.

  • Thomas Docherty – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Thomas Docherty – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Thomas Docherty on 2015-01-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Written Statement of 13 January 2015, HCWS183, by the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, on Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, whether he expects any changes to the programme for the Submarine Dismantling Project as a result of changes announced to NDA Management at Sellafield.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    There will be no changes to the programme of the Submarine Dismantling Project (SDP) as a result of changes announced to the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority’s management at Sellafield.

    The assessment of each shortlisted site for the interim storage of Intermediate Level radioactive Waste arising from the SDP will take account of the site operator’s ability to meet and deliver the Ministry of Defence’s (MOD) requirement. The site assessment work is at an early stage; no decision has been made as to the final interim storage location.

    The MOD will continue to work closely with the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority on the SDP.

  • Jim Cunningham – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Jim Cunningham – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2014-07-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the size is of the (a) external and (b) internal play area on the (i) temporary and (ii) permanent site of each free school that is (A) open and (B) planning to open in September 2014.

    Mr Edward Timpson

    The Department for Education does not collect this information and it could only be collated at disproportionate cost.

    The Department ensures that every free school has access to sufficient play and sports space either on- or off-site.

  • Jim Cunningham – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Jim Cunningham – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2014-07-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent steps the Government has taken to help the 223 girls kidnapped in North East Nigeria.

    Mark Simmonds

    We remain committed to helping Nigeria to find the schoolgirls abducted from Chibok. On 12 June my Right Honourable Friend, the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), the previous Foreign Secretary, hosted the London Ministerial on Security in Northern Nigeria. At this meeting with Nigeria, her neighbours and other international partners, we agreed a number of further measures designed to help the girls abducted on 14 April by Boko Haram, and the hundreds of others like them. We continue to offer intelligence support to the Nigerian authorities and are also agreeing with them the increased training and tactical support we committed to in London.

    We will review progress further at a Ministerial follow up meeting in Abuja in September.

  • Mark Lazarowicz – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Mark Lazarowicz – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Lazarowicz on 2014-07-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many emergency travel documents were issued in (a) June 2013 and (b) June 2014.

    Mark Simmonds

    The Foreign and Commonwealth Office issued 2895 emergency travel documents in June 2013 and 5235 in June 2014 (as at 16 July).

  • Jim Shannon – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Jim Shannon – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2014-07-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will take steps to co-ordinate with the devolved administrations to plan for the effects of an ageing population.

    Norman Lamb

    Health and care is generally a devolved issue for the devolved administrations. Nonetheless, the Department works with the devolved administrations on matters of mutual interest, including the effects of an ageing population.

  • Luciana Berger – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Luciana Berger – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Luciana Berger on 2014-07-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate his Department has made of the number of doctors against whom allegations of abuse made by patients have been in each year since 2010.

    Dr Daniel Poulter

    The information requested is not held centrally by the Department.

    The information requested is held by the General Medical Council, an independent body responsible for dealing firmly and fairly with doctors whose fitness to practise is in doubt.

  • Jim Cunningham – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Jim Cunningham – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2014-07-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what funding her Department allocates to Palestine; and if she will commission a review of how effective that funding is in serving her Department’s objectives in Palestine.

    Mr Desmond Swayne

    DFID will provide nearly £350 million in support of Palestinian development from 2011-15. In addition, we have also provided £17 million of emergency aid since the current conflict began. We regularly review progress and assess that UK aid is on track to deliver key results as set out in our Operational Plan.

    Additionally, the International Development Committee’s recent report was supportive of the work that we are doing in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, whilst noting the need for political progress.

  • Sadiq Khan – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Sadiq Khan – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sadiq Khan on 2014-07-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how much was spent each month on court buildings that were closed in the period up to their disposal since May 2010.

    Mr Shailesh Vara

    The Department is committed to disposing of surplus property assets expeditiously and reducing holding costs. Spend for each month on court buildings that were closed in the period up to their disposal since May 2010 can only be provided at disproportionate costs.

    The total cumulative gross benefits expected from the Court Estate Reform Programme (CERP) are £152m over the Strategic Review (SR10) period, consisting of resource savings from court closures of £99m and gross capital proceeds of £53m from the sale of buildings.